Heliopsis plant named &#39;Inhelsodor&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Heliopsis plant named ‘Inhelsodor’, characterized by its relatively compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large single-type inflorescences with dark yellow-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Heliopsis helianthoides.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INHELSODOR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heliopsis plant, botanically known as Heliopsis helianthoides and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Inhelsodor’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely branching Heliopsis plants with attractive ray and disc floret colors and good garden performance.

The new Heliopsis plant is the result of an open pollination of a proprietary selection of Heliopsis helianthoides identified as code number Hel 12 3-1, not patented, the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Heliopsis helianthoides as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Heliopsis plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the stated open pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany in September, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heliopsis plant by divisions was first conducted in Gensingen, Germany in March, 2014. Asexual reproduction by divisions and by vegetative tip cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Heliopsis plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Heliopsis have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Heliopsis plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inhelsodor’ as a new and distinct Heliopsis plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large single-type inflorescences with dark yellow-colored ray         florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Heliopsis differ from plants of the female parent selection:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heliopsis are more compact and have shorter         internodes than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Heliopsis are more freely branching and         denser than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Heliopsis can be compared to plants of Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Tuscan Sun’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,763. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Heliopsis differ primarily from plants of ‘Tuscan Sun’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heliopsis are more compact than plants of         ‘Tuscan Sun’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Heliopsis are darker yellow         in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Tuscan Sun’.

Plants of the new Heliopsis can also be compared to plants of Heliopsis helianthoides scabra ‘Loraine Sunshine’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,690. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Heliopsis differ primarily from plants of ‘Loraine Sunshine’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heliopsis are more compact than plants of         ‘Loraine Sunshine’.     -   2. Plants of the new Heliopsis are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Loraine Sunshine’.     -   3. Plants of the new Heliopsis have solid green-colored leaves         whereas plants of ‘Loraine Sunshine’ have variegated leaves.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Heliopsis are darker yellow         in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Loraine Sunshine’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Heliopsis showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Heliopsis plant. The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inhelsodor’ grown in a container. The photograph at the bottom of sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inhelsodor’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 10-cm containers in an acrylic-covered greenhouse in Carleton, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial potted Heliopsis production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 30° C. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Inhelsodor’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heliopsis             helianthoides identified as code number Hel 12 3-1, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Heliopsis             helianthoides, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to nine days at             ambient temperatures ranging from about 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About nine to eleven days at             ambient temperatures ranging from about 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four to             five weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from about 18° C.             to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five to             seven weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from about             16° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; close to             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; relatively             compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth             habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching growth habit with about             four primary branches, each will develop about six to eight             secondary lateral branches with development.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 27 cm             to 34 cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 35 cm             to 44 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 22 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 4.8 cm to 5 cm. Strength: Strong;             young stems, flexible. Aspect: About 35° to 45° from             vertical. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Luster: Matte to             slightly semi-glossy. Color: Initially, close to 146B and at             the internodes, closer to 146C; with development, color             becoming closer to 187A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute; reflexing with development.         -   Base.—Obtuse with truncate tendencies.         -   Margin.—Irregularly serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Scaberulose to scabrous;             rugulose with prominent reticulate veining.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Matte.         -   Venation.—Reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A;             venation, close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Scattered pubescence. Luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Semi-glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form and arrangement.—Single-type terminal and             axillary inflorescences held above and beyond the foliar             plane on strong peduncles; ray and disc florets arranged             acropetally on a receptacle; inflorescences face mostly             upright to outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about eleven to             twelve inflorescence buds and open inflorescences per plant.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower during the spring and summer             in Germany; flowering continuous during this period; plants             begin flowering about six weeks after transplanting rooted             cuttings into containers.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about seven to             ten days on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Present, slightly sour.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.7 cm. Shape: Rounded, flattened. Texture: Slightly rough             with small hairs. Luster: Matte. Color: Close to 144A; color             becoming closer to 151A with development.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Large, about 9.5 cm. Depth             (height): About 3 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.5 cm.             Receptacle diameter: About 2.8 cm. Receptacle height: About             7 mm.         -   Receptacle shape.—Flattened rounded.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 146B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 30 arranged in about 2 to 2.5 whorls. Length: About             4 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: When             developing, angled slightly upright; with development,             becoming horizontal to curling downward. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; longitudinal             ridges. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 153C. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 15A; venation, close to 15A; color             becoming closer to 14A with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 15C; venation, close to 145B to 145C;             color becoming closer to 14C with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 560 spirally arranged in about 14 to 16 whorls at the             center of the receptacle. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Shape: Tubular with five free apical lobes.             Apex: Acute. Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Luster, inner and outer surfaces: Matte. Color,             immature, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 17A. Color,             mature, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 21A; towards the             apex, close to 145A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 28 arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 1 cm.             Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Minute pubescence. Luster, upper surface: Matte;             towards the base, slightly glossy. Luster, lower surface:             Matte. Color, upper surface: Close to N137B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 11.3 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 3 mm. Length, second             peduncle: About 8.7 cm. Diameter, second peduncle: About             3 mm. Angle: Terminal peduncle, erect; lateral peduncles,             about 40° to 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Luster: Matte. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only; five per disc floret. Filament length: About 2.5 mm.             Filament color: Close to 157C. Anther size: About 2 mm by             less than 1 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color:             Close to 200B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets; one             per floret. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma diameter: Less             than 1 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to             15A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 15B to             15C. Ovary color: Close to 157A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Heliopsis. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Heliopsis have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Heliopsis     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heliopsis have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and to     tolerate low temperatures about 17° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Heliopsis plant named ‘Inhelsodor’ as illustrated and described. 